The present invention relates to an multi-directional laser scanner and particularly to a scanner having a plurality of lasers and a mirror assembly for producing a compact multi-directional bar code scanner.
Optical scanning systems typically use a mirror scanning assembly for scanning a code symbol consisting of a combination of spaced parallel bars affixed to an object. These code symbols are commonly referred to as "bar code symbols" or "universal product code symbols" and are affixed to many types of packages. A typical scanning system includes a housing with a panel for defining a scanning region adjacent the panel for receiving objects having a bar code symbol and a light source, such as a laser, for providing a light beam, and an optical system for scanning the light beam in a predetermined pattern throughout the defined scanning region. These systems also include a detection system for detecting light having at least a predetermined intensity reflected from the bar code symbols and for providing an electrical signal in response to detection of the reflected light. An optical system is used for directing light from the scanned light beam and is reflected from the code symbol on a received object to the detection system. Scanning systems of this type are useful in reading bar code symbols such as the .PN2universal bar code (UPC) code symbols that are affixed to many objects such as packaged grocery items and the like. UPC code symbols consists of parallel bars having various widths and spacings. Electrical signals provided by the detection system in response to scanning the code symbol are provided to a data processing system which provides various functions in relation to the information represented by the electrical signal, such as registering and displaying the price of an item, varying the code symbol and adjusting inventory of records concerning such items.